


and we spin around the stars

by kittyohcat



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, and kind of a mess, everyone else is secondary or only mentioned, keith and lance are the stars of this, keith is drunk, klance if you sqint, lance is insecure, my poor smol angry bean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 04:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9476414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittyohcat/pseuds/kittyohcat
Summary: He could feel the pull, the gravity, the want to orbit a planet like a satellite shot helplessly into space. Felt it like he felt the pull of his lion, only less ancient, less bigger-than-himself; it didn't resonate in his bones or whisper in his soul. It rushed in his veins and shouted in his heartbeats. It was fleeting, like their short human lives, and shallow, just under his skin.





	

 

He could feel the pull, the gravity, the want to orbit a planet like a satellite shot helplessly into space. Felt it like he felt the pull of his lion, only less ancient, less bigger-than-himself; it didn't resonate in his bones or whisper in his soul. It rushed in his veins and shouted in his heartbeats. It was fleeting, like their short human lives, and shallow, just under his skin.

 

But it was insistent, and it insistently pulled him closer despite his best efforts to break orbit.

 

Sometimes he'd think he was close to being free of that stupid mullet wearing planet (if he was being honest it wasn't that bad, less a horrendous mullet and more just a fucking mess, but Lance McClain wasn't in the business of being honest with himself), but one look from indigo eyes and he snapped back into orbit, ever closer to breaching the atmosphere.

 

But more and more, Lance felt like he was orbiting a star. Something hot and volatile. And lonely. It scorched and burned those that dare get too close.

 

And now, with Shiro gone ( _missing_ , Lance asserted to himself, though heavy doubt settled unwelcomingly in his chest), Keith burned hotter, like a star on the verge of dying. And when his friends tried to reach out, to comfort, to protect, he would only lash out like a solar flare, scorching them.

 

And Lance, well, Lance knew he was bound to get hurt, playing with fire and all that. It seemed the more the red paladin hurt, the hotter he burned, the more Lance was drawn in, spinning faster and faster in his orbit. He knew he would eventually crash into Keith, but whether or not he survived was up for debate.

 

It all seemed to come to a crux one day during routine morning training (and no one would speak of it, like not speaking made it untrue, but it had been one hundred days since Shiro's disappearance). At Allura's insistence they were meditating, trying to keep their bond strong. But the silence in the room was deafening and Lance could feel Keith practically vibrating with energy next to him. Deep down it didn't surprise him when the red paladin slammed his fists into the floor with a shout.

 

Startled, they all stared at him while he glared back and Lance felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

 

“No one else is going to talk about so I will,” he growled hoarsely. “This isn't fucking working and all of you know it.” And Lance did. They had been trying to connect for an hour, unsuccessfully. “Because he's fucking gone and no one seems to give a shit anymore!” His voice rose and his hands shook with how hard he was clenching his fists.

 

“Keith, of course we...” Pidge started after a beat of silence only to trail off as he trained a piercing glare on them.

 

“Don't give me that bullshit!” He shouted, rising to his feet, shaking with rage. “We've all but stopped looking! He _deserves_ more from us! We couldn't have done any of this without him!

 

Hunk looked like he wanted to say something, but Keith didn't give him the chance. “I'm done with this fucking bullshit,” he growled and stormed out of the training deck, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

 

* * *

 

Keith wasn't seen for the rest of that day, though the atmosphere remained tense. Deep down they all felt that maybe enough hadn't been done; they needed to search harder, search every corner of the galaxy til Shiro was returned to them. But there was more work to be done and exhausted paladins did no one any good.

 

Even so, guilt weighed heavily in their chests.

 

Lance's kept him up that night, gnawing at him with its buddies; fear, uncertainty, _dread_. And so he wandered the halls, bare feet padding softly on the cold castle floors, until they lead him to the observation deck where he spent most of his restless nights. He found it harder to worry caught up in the vastness of space, knowing every pinprick of light in the distance was a star supporting its own system, its own planets, its own _life._

 

But any relief he may have felt at entering that safe place left him at the doorway.

 

The moment he stepped through he saw the slouched figure outlined by stars. Normally straight shoulders hunched over, as if trying to collapse in on the body that supported them. He looked utterly defeated.

 

For a few long moments Lance stood still, warring with himself on whether or not he should stay, finally deciding, with a long sigh, that no matter how much of ass Keith was, he shouldn't be alone.

 

He made his way silently to the other paladin, his nose picking up the bitter scent of alcohol as he neared. Gingerly, he sat next to Keith, more than a little surprised when he was only given an acknowledging glance.

 

They sat in silence for what felt like hours, only the sound of breathing and Keith's occasional drinks from a bottle could be heard.

 

Finally, Keith broke the silence, eyes narrowing at the stars as he took a swig. “T' fuck ya doin' here?” he slurred out.

 

“I come here when I can't sleep,” Lance answered and Keith gave and exaggerated nod like it was the most obvious thing. “I'm surprised you didn't leave.” And he was. They had all expected to find Red gone after the failed training session.

 

Keith scowled. “Tried. Red wouldn't go.”

 

“Well, at least she isn't as dim witted as her paladin,” Lance jabbed, trying halfheartedly to revive their old banter, but it fell flat and Keith only scowled.

 

The silence returned and Keith finished the bottle he had been nursing, dropping it roughly next to him only to grab another. As he struggled to open it, Lance gently pulled it from his hands and set it at his own side, out of the other one's reach. Keith just glared, but it had no real bite.

 

“I'm sorry,” Lance said softly after what must have been hours. “I know you were closest to him, but you're right, he deserves more from us.”

 

Keith scoffed, pulling his knees up to his chest. “Damn right.”

Lance kept his eyes on the stars far beyond their reach and continued. “But we all do care, we just...don't know what to do about it. What can we do? Pidge keeps trying to track his arm and Hunk mostly gets in their way, but it's always the same nothing. Allura keeps it together by doing what she has too; making alliances, liberating people. Coran's just trying to keep everyone upright.” He lets out a long sigh and leans back on his hands. “And I...I don't know. I'm just the funny guy, I make people laugh.” Here he would have expected Keith to make a jab about how he isn't funny, but no such tension breaker came, so he continued. “But I know it's not enough. I'm not a leader, I'm not a tech genius. I'm kinda just nobody special.”

 

“No,” Keith said firmly and Lance glanced at him, startled at the intense look the red paladin was giving him. “You're the plan guy. Plan man.” He snorted lightly at his own ingenuity and Lance couldn't help but smile along. “You're good with strategy and not half bad with a gun,” he continued, sounding a little less drunk. Lance just nodded and the silence that followed was easier.

 

After a while of both boys contemplating the stars and each other Keith clumsily leaned over and flopped his head into Lance's lap. Lance stared down at him, eyebrow raised quizzically.

 

“I'm tired and you're the closest thing to a pillow,” Keith mumbled defensively, almost daring Lance to challenge him. He only shrugged and said nothing. The moment was nice and he didn't want to ruin it.

 

After a while, when Lance was almost sure he had fallen asleep, Keith spoke again.

 

“Promise me something,” he said softly, sounding vulnerable. It made Lance's heart skip a beat.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Promise me we'll find Shiro.” Lance heard his voice crack ever so slightly and he felt his chest clench around his heart. His hand sought Keith's and he squeezed gently, waiting for a return squeeze before he answered.

 

“I promise,” he said softly, reassuringly. “We'll find him.” And Keith nodded, seemingly satisfied.

 

A while later Lance heard the tell tale slow, even breaths of a sleeping Keith and looked down at the boy (and of course they were boys; the universe was so big and so ancient and they were so, so young and so, _so_ small under its weight) and smiled.

 

Keith was still a star and Lance was still the sun scorched planet orbiting him, waiting to crash and burn. But Keith no longer threatened collapse into a black hole and moments like these made it worth the burns.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first addition to the Voltron fandom. I haven't written (or read, for that matter) fanfiction, or really anything, for the past few years. It feels good to write again and have my motivation back. I'm glad this show has pulled me back in to something I used to love to do.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! It was kind of "getting back into the feel of it" kind of thing. Feel free to leave criticisms! I'm also happy to take suggestions.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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